Three from Thurston County win Mat Classic titles. Yelm’s Dubose, Platt go back-to-back

Phoenix Dubose and Derrick Platt will both walk away from Mat Classic XXXI as two-time state wrestling champions.

The senior duo from Yelm High School, who each won their respective weight bracket a season ago, secured repeat titles Saturday night — Dubose (115 pounds in girls) by pin and Platt (195 in 3A) by minor decision — despite competing in expanded 32-wrestler brackets in the Tacoma Dome.

Dubose pinned Granger’s Liliana Luna in one minute, two seconds — the third-fastest pin in any of the finals matches in the six-classification tournament, and fastest in the girls competition — to become the first girl from Yelm to win multiple state wrestling titles.

In 84 finals matches, only Bonney Lake’s Brenden Chaowanapibool (25 seconds) and White River’s Gabe Hawethorne (53 seconds) pinned their opponents faster.

Dubose also won at 115 pounds last season as a junior, by 7-5 decision over Granger’s Viktorya Torres, who was favored in the matchup.

“It is my mom’s birthday present. That’s what she said she wanted this year,” Dubose said of winning back-to-back titles.

“But, also it’s helping me prove to myself that I am the wrestler that everyone thinks I am. That I am on that level. That I am moving up in the wrestling world.”

Dubose pinned each of her first three opponents — Evergreen of Seattle’s Marciella Rodriguez (1:40), Lakewood’s Torrie Blackwood (1:27) and Sunnyside’s Aaliya Chavez (3:19) — before meeting her toughest opponent in the semifinals.

Redmond junior Molly Williams was the top-ranked wrestler at the weight by Washington Wrestling Report entering Mat Classic, but Dubose edged her by 8-7 decision. She broke a 6-6 tie with a takedown with 58 seconds remaining, and held off Williams in the closing moments.

“For me that was more of a mental match than it was anything else,” Dubose said. “She had beat me before, and even though I had also beat her before, I was just me telling myself that it was possible to come back and win that match.”

Entering her final, which began about three hours after its scheduled starting time, Dubose appeared energetic and confident, and took control quickly.

“There wasn’t going to be anything that pushed me more than that semis match,” Dubos said. “So, when I got out there everything just felt a little easier, a little smoother so I was very proud of myself.”

Later in the evening, just before 11 p.m., Platt sewed up his second title by a narrow 3-2 decision over Mercer Island’s Donn Howard — and stuck the landing on a backflip after winning the grueling six-minute match.

“All of my teammates were like, ‘Yo, you have to hit that backflip,’ because I just learned it in football season,” Platt said. “I was like, ‘All right, if I have enough energy at the end of the match, I’ll hit it.’

“That adrenaline kicked in at the end of the match, even though I was gassed, hit the back flip, felt great, looked up in the stands at all my friends, family, coaches — it’s awesome. Great support group behind me.”

Platt’s final was his closest match of the tournament. He pinned his first three opponents — Southridge’s Lucas Martin (1:48), Rainier Beach’s Jacob Parmer (0:29) and Mountain View’s Va Ili (1:07) — before winning his semifinal against Snohomish’s Ryan Douglas by 16-1 technical fall.

Howard also pinned his first three opponents before winning his semifinal by decision.

Platt scored the first points in the final 28 seconds into the second period, but Howard took a 2-1 lead in the opening moments of the third on a reversal.

Platt countered with a reversal 23 seconds later, and held Howard in check as time expired.

“He got a reversal, kind of scared me,” Platt said. “I knew I had to jump on my ‘A’ game, so I got on it, hit another reversal, rode out the end and came out on top.”

Platt won his first state title last season as a junior at 182 pounds in 3A.

He was also an all-state linebacker in football his senior season, and is a top hurdler in track and field. He faces a tough decision for what sport he’ll pursue in college.

“I like the team aspect of football. I love the brotherhood behind it,” he said. “Wrestling, I’m good at it, but I don’t know. If the offer comes, I’ll play, but right now I’m thinking football.”

The Yelm boys finished third in the 3A team race with 151.5 points, behind Bethel (154) and defending champion Mount Spokane (235.5). It was the first podium finish for the Tornados since they were the 3A runner-up in 2012.

Elsewhere in 3A, North Thurston senior Kai Burgman wrapped up the Mat Classic finals with his first championship at 285 pounds.

He edged favorite Joshua Guzik of Rogers of Spokane by 2-1 decision to nab the top podium spot. Guzik pinned each of his first four opponents entering the match, but a late reversal in the third period gave Burgman the decisive score.

“It’s everything,” Burgman said. “It’s a testament to all of the hard work I’ve put in. It’s amazing when you put so much effort into something, you’re just hoping it pays off.

“It’s not like beating a video game, this took years to build up to this moment. Then, to have it all pay off, it’s amazing.”

The win came after Burgman placed eighth as a sophomore at 220 pounds, but missed out on the podium as a junior.

“Last year was really disappointing for me,” Burgman said. “I lost to the first- and third-place (finishers). And they were tough matches.

“I wanted it even more then. I went through a whole season of freestyle … and coaches had me go to club practices during the season, too. ... It was definitely worth it.”

Burgman pinned Mount Spokane’s Kingston Gray (0:44) and Marysville-Pilchuck’s Jeffrey Roullier (3:48) in his first two matches. He edged Kelso’s McKinnie Franklin by 3-1 decision in overtime in the quarterfinals, and topped Cleveland’s Aram Gould by 4-1 decision the semifinals to advance to the championship match.

There were 27 more wrestlers from high schools in the greater Olympia area who earned podium finishes at Mat Classic.

In 3A, Yelm’s Jayden Hallman (seventh, 113); Shelton’s Cameron MacAlevy (eighth, 120); Yelm’s Ryan Davis (fourth, 126); Yelm’s Steven Reyes (fourth, 138); Timberline’s Diego Delgado (eighth, 138); Shelton’s Robert Allred (sixth, 145); Yelm’s Chayton Miller (sixth, 152); Yelm’s Jason Nelson (sixth, 170); and Shelton’s Ammon Anderson (fourth, 195) all placed.

In 2A, River Ridge’s Sammy Lile (eighth, 120); W.F. West’s Mason Marones (third, 132); Black Hills’ Nolan Keese (fifth, 138); Rochester’s Jayden Lancaster (third, 145); Black Hills’ Julian Kennedy (sixth, 160); W.F. West’s Isaac Reavis (fifth, 195); Black Hills’ Jordan Claridge (sixth, 195); Tumwater’s Caden Hicks (fourth, 220); and Black Hills’ Tate Elliott (fourth, 285) each reached the podium.

In 1A, Elma’s Alejandro Hernandez (eighth, 285) was the only local placer. In 2B/1B, Rainier’s Jayson Ducey (eighth, 106), Tyler Barlass (fourth, 126) and Jacob Martin (sixth, 182) each reached the podium.

In the girls classification, Black Hills’ Olivia Toussaint (seventh, 105); Olympia’s Erica Grant (third, 130); W.F. West’s Xylia Warner (fifth, 140); Shelton’s Quinn Lacy (fifth, 235) and Olympia’s Karlee Mosser (eighth, 235) left the Tacoma Dome with medals.

Staff writer Lauren Smith contributed to this report.

This story was originally published February 17, 2019 at 10:11 AM.